I, X
by Probatio Pennae
Summary: The Maverick Hunters have been hijacked from the inside and are facing scrutiny from the human government is barreling down on them. What does their mysterious enemy want?
1. I: Stasis Sleep

Chapter 1:

_**Author's Note**__: I disclaim ownership of Mega man X, and everything relating to it. As far as I'm concerned, this whole story already belongs to Capcom, so if they want, they could take this whole story and use it for a game. If they chose to do that, then I'd be extremely happy. So be sure to encourage anyone on the Capcom/Mega man X staff to read and use this fanfic, okay? Okay... Now this story is originally supposed to have ten chapters, but it may or may not end that way, plus the direction of the plot is kind of sketchy. Meaning I have no definite path for the story to take. So don't ask me what I'm going to do next, 'cause not even __**I**__ know. Not __**I**__, or __**X**__. _

**I:**

_Stasis sleep..._

It provided different things for different people, that is, if you consider reploids to be people.

Unlike humans, reploids generally had more direct control of the nature of their recharge cycle. Newer models could simply install solar panels on the outer shell of their armor; thus eliminating the need for stasis sleeps, and works indefinitely. Yet others cling to the pointless tradition of setting aside a time for idleness. But when hiring a reploid, the nature of recharge is written in the resume, so they wouldn't even _dream_ of "vacationing just for the sake of it", whereas, humans had physical needs, therefore usually had more time off. This notion embittered some reploids, but they knew better than to complain since at this point in time, mechanloids had taken a bulk of the physical labor required. Amechanloid can't write a speech, but can't go on strike, either. Mechs more than make up for their intellectual shortcomings with sheer, generated, product. However, Reploids were still needed for jobs that required a more creative, human touch.

But **X** and **0**, or "**Zero**" if you prefer, were different from most reploids. Whose innermost workings a complete mystery to everyone except their creators, actually dreamt outside of any self implanted images or programs. Other Maverick Hunters could simply get some extra training done while asleep through a VR cycle, or if they're feeling **really **lazy, simply log onto the Internet. But both X and Zero were unique in the fact that they could dream like most humans could. At least, what they assumed were like most people's dreams. For all they know, any dreams they do have are simply preprogrammed to show at certain intervals. But they doubt that is the case, for their dreams often consist of current events, and things that recently happened to them, but other times, they are of things that are familiar but forgotten. Which is also odd for reploids.

It wouldn't be an intended pun to say that most reploids have photographic memory, because their eyes are literal cameras. Anything they saw, they remembered indefinitely, which is why they are likely candidates to hold a grudge. The only way for them to _vaguely_ remember would be for them not to hear or see the event clearly at all. But more and more, X and Zero subtly differ from both humans and reploids. These differences occasionally generate resentment from both groups, as X would be the only reploid to possibly be dosing off during a lecture or speech, if you even consider him to be a reploid in the literal definition.

X's thoughts would have to wind to close for now however, because like most _humans_, he had little control over the nature and quality of a sleep cycle. His contemplative gears always twirled the fastest just as circumstances forced him to _wake up... __**Wake up!**_

**WAKE UP!**


	2. II: Wake Up

**II:**

"WAKE UP!" Boomed the speaker from inside the capsule.

X muttered an unenthusiastic "Good morning." to the voice stirring him from his stasis sleep. The opening of his eyes triggered his in-capsule display to activate. To his dismay, he saw Axl pushing buttons and flipping switches on Alia's desk, while she attempted without success to stop him, but **did** manage to wrestle the microphone away from him long enough to say, "I am **so **sorry about that Commander X. I told him that he'd have to wait two more hours before asking about his-"

"It's time, X!" Interrupted Axl "You said you would register me in Maverick Hunter Training Academy! Check the date!"

X, now fully awake after realizing that it was the first of October, but he once again cleverly dodges his obligation.

"Don't worry about it Alia." X addressed her first, because he hated seeing her so apologetic, it would make **him **want to apologize after a minute of it. "Axl, although I **did** say I would register you into the training academy. Your recent choice of behavior is making me regret those words."

"But you've seen that my fighting abilities are far superior then the other candidates; I even held my own against Zero in the public screening!" Pleads Axl.

"Axl, you know as well as I do that we don't judge on fighting ability alone. Why do think Red was turned down years before he began the Syndicate?" X reminds Axl of his dead mentor, Red. The leader of a group of vigilantes, The Red Alert Syndicate, of which Axl used to be a member of, but was disbanded due to Sigma's influence. Axl himself was the one who defeated Red in battle.

"What! Come on!" Complains Axl. "Don't tell me you gonna blow me off **again**! Are you?"

"Your impatience, and inability to follow simple instructions don't tell me you're ready to be registered." X scolds.

"X, as long as I'm not an official member, I'm not under you guy's jurisdiction anyway!"

Axl tries desperately to diffuse X's logic.

But X's logic proves infallible as he continues. "When you finally delete that destructive Red Alert philosophy from your CPU, then maybe I'll consider registering you. But as long as you're not a Maverick Hunter, as a citizen, you **are** subject to Hunter authority, and that includes listening to Alia."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... But you **still** said that you'd register me in October, and you're the only one right now besides Signas himself who can get me in!" Axl eagerness continues to fuel his words.

"In **that** case, Axl, you had better try that much harder to leave a good impression on me, which you don't seem very concerned with at the moment. Besides, I never said it would be **this **October. For all you know, it could have meant one hundred years from now." X teases.

Axl's eyes widened at the prospect, because reploids easily live hundreds of years at a time. The only ways for them to die are from accidents, which only usually happen if humans are involved, or from being retired, which can happen from voluntary self-recycling, or from being listed as a dangerous maverick. Plus, X's xin-like patience was a well-known fact to them both. So, unless the number of years is over nine thousand, the reploid speaking usually is **not **exaggerating.

"Only **your** rusted, old, metal, car-case would make me wait **that** long!" Spat the frustrated Axl.

"Axl, drop the recycle bin talk, and **maybe** I'll consider dropping it down to **fifty** years."

Axl stood speechless with his jaw open at X's ludicrous proposals, but Alia's next statement would snap him out of it. "It won't be **that **long Axl. Zero will probably be promoted back to unit commander in that time anyway."

"Then you can go bug **him** about it." X finished.

Axl shot sour expressions at X, then Alia, and as he left, made a gesture with his hands suggesting he was pointing his guns at both of them. (_**Author's Note**__: Think Ocelot from MGS3._) Then, he departed.

"Thanks Alia, I thought he'd never leave." X said, now relieved that Axl was gone.

"Don't mention it Commander." Alia blushed, but wondered.

"But sir, I'm beginning to wonder **myself **when Axl will finally be enrolled in the Training Academy. When will you finally let him be a Hunter?"

X gave a melancholy sigh, as he looked down, then answered.

"If it were up to me, I never would."

"What does **that** supposed to mean!"

"Ever since Axl came to us during the Red Alert Crisis, Signas been interested in formally recruiting him, so he left the responsibility on me to see to it that Axl is properly trained, and because of his combat experience and service, there's been talk about him receiving a preeminent S-Ranking upon his adoption. That makes it all the more worrisome."

"But X, why would you be worried? His promotion to S-Rank is something to happy about!" Alia reasoned.

"To be honest Alia, I wouldn't wish my position on my worst enemy."

Alia's facially expressed pity and sorrow after hearing his words, but she resisted the urge to interrupt. He continued.

"Ever since Sigma deserted the Maverick Hunters, and began his insurrection, I feel like I've been burdened to clean up his messes for as long as I exist. It may sound cliché, but sometimes I wish I were human that could rest in peace. But as a robot, I'm forced to be permanently responsible for all the deaths the Hunters have caused, and I fear Axl's eagerness to scratch his itching trigger finger will cause him more turmoil than joy, but 'defeating the bosses' seems to be of more importance to both Axl **and** Signas then actually preventing any unnecessary violence."

"X." Alia attempted to reassure him. "You sound as though you're calling yourself a maverick. You and the Hunters have done a lot of good in the world."

"I might as well be a maverick, considering all the reploids I've retired."

"But how are **you **personally responsible for everything we've done anyway?" Inquired Alia.

"Zero's death in the first Maverick uprising made me leader of the Hunters, but I afterward gave the position to Signas. He was more willing anyway, besides being more qualified, but ever since I gave him that authority, any forceful policies he's enacted feel like an extension of my choice to resign. I can never seem to escape this guilt of mine. I learned **that **from leaving the group altogether for a short while." X began to re-initiate the stasis sleep after saying this, but Alia, now fully absorbed in the conversation, still had questions.

"You're not saying Signas is an incompetent leader, are you?"

X's hand stopped, just as the gravity of the question took its toll. He looked dead forward at the monitor and gave his response.

"Of course not, the fact that he doesn't think like I do, and his steadfast devotion to the proverbial 'mission' make him all the **more** competent. His calculated assurance that all his decisions are justified, and for the greater good, allow him to do things that would tear my conscience to pieces. Even though, **his** decisions still are."

Alia was now noticeably torn away from her work in order to engage X in this discussion, but his statement had left her speechless regardless. X's melancholy was contagious, and he now realized this.

"Don't worry about it Alia, I see you have other things to occupy your thoughts right now anyway."

Alia gave a bewildered expression until her eyes wandered downward at her computer screen, and she realized what he was getting at, but then heard X opening his stasis capsule.

"X! Your aren't going to finish your REM cycle?"

As X stepped out, he looked at the monitor one last time before turning it off, to make this statement.

"No Alia, it's about time I woke up anyway..."

TRANSMISSION DISCONNECTED


	3. III: Red and Green

**III:**

_  
All appearances indicated Zero was unfazed, and he had every reason to be.  
Currently, he was advancing through the viroid-infected jungles of the now Infertile Crescent.

He's fought Mavericks for decades. He was in the front lines of the first Maverick uprising. He's been through death and had been rebuilt twice now. He has nothing to prove to anyone, except maybe to himself.

Physically, Zero was an anomaly. This does not refer to his enigmatic inner workings that remain a mystery to all but his creator (as of October, 21XX). This does not refer to his physicality primed for hunting since before there were Mavericks to hunt, a point punctuated by every precision-slash with his beam saber through the green cables of cyber-foliage that has taken ill with a sickly purple arterial contrivance that actively hindered his progress.

He's an anomaly because of his appearance. His face is that of an unremarkably perpetually clean-shaven male human male. Not unlike many reploids, though some adopt a more distinguished persona, regardless of age.

The anomaly about Zero's appearance is the almost, cape-like, cascade of blond hair from the ponytail at the rear of his helmet that reached all the way to his ankles.

The hair is not of his design. He'd maintained it since even before the berserk robot instinctually defending an abandoned facility from any intruders that would eventually rise to become one of the greatest Maverick Hunters of all time. The irony was not lost on him.

The weight and length of his hair would prove to be an ill conceived accessory most. This is especially true for someone who prefers close-quarters combat as much as he does. Biblically, long hair has led to the downfall of Absalom, whose hair was caught in a bush and refused to cut it to save his own life, and Sampson, who's power was derived from it.

Zero is not self-conscious, narcissistic, fashion-conscious, or "trendy." Anyone who knows him would not readily associate his personality type with someone with a hair obsession. His continued presence throughout the generations has nullified any novelty that a human would not readily look past.

Yet… Whether by luck, skill, or raw talent, the hubris of his opponents, or a combination of the above… (Though his scores of slain enemies would prefer you to think it was luck…)  
Throughout all of the battles for years on end… Through his long, arduous life-consuming war he's been involved in for almost a century now… Through the near death experiences, death experiences, close calls, hits taken, swords, bullets, and energy blasts whizzed past his head…

_**No follicle has been lost. **_

His current environment has yet to threaten that feat, as his hair did not snag in the Velcroid circuitry on the forest floor. His regular pacing made a distinctive "_CHLINK_" with step. The pacing of which would not be interrupted by the occasional, swift "_VvVsSSSsshhvV_…" of his beam saber through some foliage or small, disposable mechanloid threat, usually of an insectoid variety. The two sounds were almost in acoustic concert. Melodic. It was almost soothing…

_CHLINK… CHLINK_  
_kCHLINKt__**… kCHLINKt…**_  
"_VvVsSSSsshhvV_…"

In spite of that, his instincts and habits would not fall for the trap of respite. He knows he was being _**closely observed**_. He wondered why she wouldn't reveal herself. Though he's not painfully eager to hear from any forerunner to approaching danger, the lack thereof was enough of an interruption to his train of…

…thought:  
_**"Something isn't right."**_

His footsteps sounded… off.

The material making up the forest floor were no different than the material he's trudged through for about a mile now, but the sound his footsteps were making a **different noise **in spite of the regularity of his pace.

Zero figured his red plated armor against the greenery would embolden any sniper or assailant to reveal himself, herself, or _**IT**_self. He stuck out like sore thumb, but whoever was stealthily tracking him was synchronizing their footsteps with his, biding his time. And whoever was following him _**was within earshot.  
**_

The red blond assessed his surroundings. His vision granted him limited telescopic range that was quite remarkable by human standards of vision. There was no discernible trace of an immediate threat, but the experienced hunter had encountered enough reploids with cloaking or teleporting abilities to let anything assure him he was alone.

At will, he transformed his left hand into hand-based plasma cannon, aptly titled, the Z-Buster.

Zero grew tired of projectiles a long time ago. Guns are too quick. All the battles with them become unmemorable contests of spraying blasts harder and faster. Years ago, the Z-Buster was more powerful than X's legendary buster, before the latter grew in abilities over time. The Z-Buster had been programmed for medium-range bursts as opposed to the X-Buster's more versatile levels of charge and blast intensity.  
Zero's own buster was rarely used as he was decidedly a beam swordsman, but he keeps it installed for emergencies or rare occurrences where a sword would be impractical. Though he usually comes up with ways to _make_ his Z-Saber practical.  
He's nothing, if not a little… creative.

In his immediate vicinity, there was nothing but a concentration of forestry, trees, vines, non-hostile nanites, and cluttered circuitry in the area directly behind him.

He fired his buster in areas conducive hiding an assailant, places where someone would hide before making a surgical strike on his person. The blasts hit almost nothing before eventually dissipating.

The quiet made him restless, but he would never let _**them**_ know that.

He put his sword to sleep into his sheath on his upper back and continued his walk at the previously established pace.

_**5 minutes of **__**nothing**__** had passed as he advanced uninterrupted before he stopped dead in his tracks…  
**_

It was not an act of naivete or relief that led Zero to "lower his guard" five minutes ago.

His suspicions were confirmed.

The forest had stopped attacking him after he showed signs of alarm of a mounting attack, and in the area directly behind him, the shrubbery, electronics, nanites, "fruit", and vines were especially thick.

However, Zero had no trouble passing it before, and there's no such foliage obstructing the path in front of him. The forest was changing around him as he moved…  
it almost as if this… clump suspended by forestry was following him.

**There was a glowing, translucent, amber-colored, mechanical apple in the middle of the clump. **

He reached for his sword….

_**But the silent vines-tentacles had prevented his hands from reaching any further.**_

It all made sense now.  
The forest had eyes and while he trotted and prodded merrily across. Silently gauging his power, tendencies, skill, _and__** weaknesses**_… before gathering its resources into this round-bodied, treading, tentacled, armed… **devil**ish, manifestation.

It was in times these, as he was being pulled into the viral abomination, that the red hunter was thankful he bottled his emotions for the right thing to unleash them on.  
The forest devil probably thinks he's a calm, passive-aggressive conservationist when it comes to fighting.

**"It will be ****his**** undoing."**

Zero's hands were bound with vines, but he transformed his left into the Z-Buster once again, and it blasted that hand free to reach for a sword… **that was no longer there.**

**"Sh*t."**

His preferred weapon was now swinging haphazardly in the "hands" of a natural disaster.  
This reminds him of his earliest days when he had nothing but his fists and his buster.  
Despite his considerable age, Zero was never much for nostalgia, but for now he'd have to make an exception.  
His modifications made it difficult to "spray" on his opponent, so he'd have to be decisive with every blast.

One hand would be free enough to blast through the vines covering his other hand. It was very close to shooting himself as he vividly felt the heat of the blast move past his right arm, while still destroying his binds.

The vines on his legs and feet would have to be removed similarly. With a thought, Zero activated the boosters on the bottom of his feet. Normally they're for quick dashes of speed or for allowing him to jump further than normally. In battle, the boosters are used to close the distance between Zero and his opponent, but this time, they'll be needed to "keep the relationship professional," so to speak.

The boosters worked to free his feet, but his upper legs would have to the released some other way…. Before he could consider, the vine controlled Z-Saber hummed menacingly around his person like a fly in a quiet meeting room.

**"I'm no one's stringed plaything. Not today."**

The sword lunged, but he was able to swing his body in such a way that the beam saber cut the foliage keeping his legs together, with negligible damage to his legs, and thankfully, no damage to his internalized boosting mechanism.

Zero was falling though mid-air, but he processed the external input from his fall very effectively. His Boosters, though only active in short bursts, allowed him to redirect his descent toward the sword-stealing vine. He latched onto it like a zip-line and sled down to where his sword hung like a sickle, his weight applied to the end where he held on tight, halting his descent, made the tentacle-vine hang uselessly.

Zero usually kept his emotions to himself, opening up to trusted friends. However, in times like these he would open up to his enemies as well, but showed a side that would be inappropriate anywhere else: his vengeful, sadistic side.

He silently prayed to whatever reploid god who probably doesn't exist, that this creature was programmed to feel pain. He then freed his sword, by slowly and agonizingly ripping the tentacle with his bare hands.

Circuitry, green fluid, silicone, artificial epidermal material all tore violently from its proper place as Zero now continued his fall from a lower height, then hit the ground like he should have a minute ago.  
He was back on solid ground, **this **time, baring his trusted sword in its rightful place… in the hands of professional killer.

First, he shot the Z-Buster into the belly of the beast several times, testing its stamina and resilience.  
Luckily, the thing could not reconfigure or regenerate in the traditional sense, but it could draw materials from the rest of the forest to compensate for any damage sustained.

It was like trying to punch out an ecosystem. Historically, people had done more damage unintentionally; Zero imagined what a literal engine of destruction such as he could do on **purpose**… Suddenly, Zero's internal earpiece was ringing. His "help" had finally arrived.

"_**Zero! Do you read me? That was incredible!"**_

The hunter was receiving a call from his support system. His navigator. They were the eyes, ears, and brain of the Maverick Hunters. Stationed at HQ, they navigated field agents by providing with valuable data, amongst other things that can be done remotely. Today, the one assigned to him, though closely observing his adventure this whole time, has been a tad slow on the correspondence. Navigators are trusted to be decisive about when to chime in with advice or support, and are not to consistently disturb their assigned Hunter.

He had enough leeway from the beast to engage his understated, but sultry-voiced female help. He did not know his navigator's name. "Operator #1218" was still on a trial basis. Because she was new at this, Zero would would not admonish any of her failings, for the time being.

"Your admiration can wait. I was wondering when you'd stop observing and start talking."

**"I'm SO sorry sir. I-I didn't… think you needed me, and when that-that**_** thing**_** just appeared from **_**nowhere**_** I was occupied analyzing and-"**

"Tell me what you know."

"**I'm detecting a large power output from the devices resembling fruit. I think the configuring mechanical monsters siphon extra energy from those modules in combat situations required for this formation of theirs, if you can destroy it, he may very well run out of energy on his own and revert to regular forestry."**

"Got it."

"**I'm also detecting optical circuitry within said module."**

"Hm. Typical weak point. This shouldn't take too long."

Zero deactivated his communicator while he was already in the air from wall jumping off of a tree, boosting to increase his mid-flight joust toward the eye of the eco-technological storm.  
His attack had begun its launch after he said "got it," but there is added appeal in simultaneously striking the beast in the eye. The forest devil's vaguely humanoid, golem-like form stood a couple yards taller than Zero. It pleased Zero to imagine the creature had an ego in proportion to its size, because it was about to receive a potent message in humility, which would be drilled by the one-man projectile aimed at the head of the Goliath.

_"__...__vv__v__vVV_**_VS__kSCHLINKt!_**___t__sshhtchtchtshtch...__"_

Zero efficiently tore through the giant like a bullet, with his Z-Saber acting as a bright green tip than now had the golden, glowing tumorous heart of the beast now dimming under his gaze.

The red hunter landed on his feat gracefully as his prey behind him fell apart like a spaghetti being dropped haphazardly on a plate.

The low frequency humming from the fruit on his sword dimmed to a pathetic halt as the glowing flickered its final flicker…

**It was quiet again…**

This would take some getting used to, though he'd have preferred a climactic explosion to end the excitement… this whimpering death was _not_ a satisfying conclusion.

To compensate, Zero chucked the McGuffin into the air with all of his might and timed his shot from the Z-Buster to meet the object at the height of ascension.

The resulting explosion broke the device into many pieces, like a firework, and resulted in an all-consuming light to radiate from the blast that overtook the sky, the surrounding area, and then finally his vision.

All Zero saw was white light.

Then…

**EVERYTHING WENT BLACK.**


	4. IV: Piercing Darkness

**IV:**

**EVERYTHING WAS BLACK, THEN A LIGHT SHOWN FROM ABOVE.  
**  
The room illuminated gradually, revealing Zero's new surroundings:  
There appeared a hexagon-shaped room with a hexagon pattern the tiles on the floor beneath him, with a low light emanating from in-between them.

Zero had no indication of awe or surprise. He knew that was where he was supposed to be. He hadn't moved a spot since before, or after, his last adventure.

No teleportation had taken place. This was the Troia base, stationed in a classified section of Europe.  
This was the largest Hunter Training site the world, especially for the influx of Next-Generation Reploids joining their ranks.  
The room he had been fighting in for the past several hours was one of the most advanced sensory-manipulation programs in the world, codenamed: Helios.

Zero was not the one being trained today; the simulation was too easy for someone such as he to be truly tested by it, though it was still entertaining enough for him to return at his leisure. The training exercise was for the navigator, Operator #1218.

"Commander Zero, how did I do?"

The window from the VR room to the navigation station was clearly visible after the simulation was over. #1218 had risen from her seat eager for Zero's seal of approval.

Zero, now that the action was over, would not mince words. He looked up and told her:  
"Your correspondence was slow, obvious, and potentially lethal."

#1218 disappointingly recoiled back into her chair.  
I'm sorry sir. I should have been more vigilant."

Zero continued his assessment.  
"I had to deduce the nature of the final enemy myself. You had access to scans of the simulated area, power fluctuations, and the like. Assume nothing and tell of anything suspicious. It's the navigators job to run through scenarios, speculate and deduce things such as the forest devil that attacked me."

She kept her head down accepting every precise verbal lash. He was as sharp with his tongue as he was with his sword.

"You have to be the mind of the less experienced hunter. Without you, an amateur is likely to find himself in the clutches of an enemy he was ill-equipped to fight in the first place, leaving hunters like me picking up the slack for both of us."

"**Oh, come on Zero. I was never **_**that**_** helpless."  
**

The second voice shook the navigator in-training from her resignation. It was coming from directly behind her, advancing toward the microphone in the station that allowed them to speak to Zero from where they were.

Zero scoffed, "If only that were true, **X**."

"There was something I wanted to talk to about after this session."

Zero motioned his "okay" to X's suggestion. The two of them had been very busy, and had not the chance to converse for very long as of late.  
"I'll be right up."**  
**  
While Zero used an elevator to ascend to their level, while X used the opportunity to encourage the despondent student next to him.  
"Zero's was right about me. Twice during first Maverick uprising he had to save my life _twice… _from the same guy."

"Yeah right. I'm sure you fought well enough for you to be considered worth saving. Maybe I'm not cut out for this."

"Listen, no one's really 'cut out' for Maverick Hunting. It's something we set out to do and make-work to the best of our ability. You cut _yourself _out for the role."

"Thanks, but I don't think my score will become an higher from your kind words."

"Commander Zero is hardest on the ones he sees potential in. He wants to see you do better. To be honest, I haven't seen hi like this in awhile…"

The door to the room slid open as Zero entered the station with terminals, computers, monitors and the like where his best friend and future navigator were waiting for him.  
"X, I'll join you outside in a minute. I have a few more words with _this_one."

The blue light of hope had left the building, leaving #1218 alone with the red demon. She held her breath in preparation for another round of critique as he moved in closer, but instead, he kneeled down and lightly laid his hands on her should is a congratulatory stance. His eyes, indicated pride and confidence.

"You did good, kid. You'll shape up to be a great navigator some day. Just follow my suggestions and you should move onto the next levels."

#1218 was relieved, and humbled.  
"A-Are you serious? You'd let me move on?"  
Zero knowingly smirked.  
Your intel was invaluable, you just need to show a little more initiative, and creativity with your scans."

"I look forward to hearing your voice on the field sometime in the future."  
He stood erect with formality, without a trace of irony as he said this, before walking out to join X for their talk, leaving her alone with reserved excitement. Hardly believing what just happened.

It's not every day two legends just pop in to say nice thing to her, especially not the one she so intensely admired.

She stood up from her seat, taller than X, but slightly shorter than Zero, sporting long purple hair that would put his own to shame in terms of garishness.  
"Wow. I—" Her earpiece flared with a younger, more childish voice on the other end, interrupting the quiet moment of savoring.  
**"LAYER! IT'S ME! PALLETTE! DID YOU MAKE IT!"**  
Apparently, Operator #1218's name was Layer.

A chance to talk about her experience gave Layer a chance to further process her astonishment.

"Yeah… Can you believe I thought he hated me for a second? There's a really a nice man beneath the warrior."

"This is _so_ like you to start falling in love like this. You can't keep your eyes off 'em, but I guess that's why you're cut out for this job to begin with, huh?"  
Pallette had no internal conflict when it came to speaking up, but luckily for her peers, she usually had something important to say. This trait was helpful during her coinciding evaluation.

The irony of Pallette's word choice was not lost on Layer.  
"Very funny."

"But seriously, you get too invested."

Layer, for the first time in a long while, formed a knowing smile on _her_ lips.  
"But isn't that why I'm cut out for this job to begin with?"

"_Veeery_ funny..."  
_

Meanwhile, X and Zero where strolling about the grounds of the Troia base. The sun was rising in this area of the globe, with the sun peaking optimistically in the distant, mountainous landscape.

"Axl is becoming impatient."

X began, but Zero wryly retorted.  
"I think he's been _very _patient. What's all this about?"

"Axl woke me from stasis sleep this morning demanding that I register him today. I told him I would have by now, but when the time came, I couldn't do it."

Zero considered X's sensitivity would occasionally interfere with his hunting on an emotional level, but interfering with standard activities such as this was surprisingly, but irritatingly appropriate for his blue friend.  
"Axl's was ready to be a Hunter the day I met him."

Zero was the first Hunter to come across Axl after he deserted the vigilante organization known as The Red Alert Syndicate, sparking the biggest custody battle of all time. It was Axl's eagerness to face his former comrades at Zero's side that turned this would-be irritant scrappy into one of Zero's trusted friends. At the time, X was not acting as a field agent and redirected his efforts to more peaceful solutions. All the people Zero and Axl had rescued convinced him of the legitimacy of the job he left behind. Regretfully the opportunity for peaceful will sometimes expire, leaving us with a violent situation we can only try harder to avoid in the future.  
The Red Hunter continued his analysis. "I think _you're_ the one who's not ready."

The Blue Hunter wasn't one for self-delusion, he knew Zero was right about his unwillingness, but there was something else that made him uneasy.  
"Zero… I fear he's too eager to jump into this -for the wrong reasons -like **this is all some kind of game **to him."

"His attitude about hunting... the jokes… it's all a coping mechanism. He doesn't have the same conflict about killing Mavericks as you do. I've fought with him longer than you have."  
Zero did not like Axl at first but fighting with him for a significant period of time changed his mind.  
"You might change your mind after some bonding time. You'll have to get used to it of Signas decides to supersede you. "

X was not happy with the idea of more internal bickering with his own authority figure.  
"If this i_s_ a game to Axl, I guess this makes _me _the boss, doesn't it?"

"X, you're too unpredictable to be a boss. I'd know from fighting you."

They shared a signaling the end of their current line of discussion. They walked to the side of the mountain that was form the rising sun by the Troia base, literally in the dark about what was to come…

"**X! Zero! Do you read me!"**

They were being hailed by Alia from the Central Hunter HQ.

The hunter's internal ear pieces directly keyed them into a three-way discussion. They were glad to hear from her, but simultaneously anxious about the contagious urgency in her voice…**  
_**


	5. V: Twinkling of an Eye

**Chapter V  
_**

Alia was the Maverick Hunter's most highly decorated navigator; she was most often in charge of guiding Hunters through world-threatening crises. She guided X and Zero with confidence and competence through the Eurasia incident, and has been respected as a member of the team ever since.

The world is not always in that much danger. During more "peaceful" times, Alia finds herself on the other line with less agreeable Maverick Hunters. She is very patient with everyone, but she seldom finds herself tested in _that_ way when dealing with X or Zero. The weight of the crisis at hand will take over as the primary source of stress.

It was great being on the line with **X** and **Zero** in times like these, in an exhilarating, dreadful sort of way.

X responded first, "We're reading you loud and clear, Alia."  
**"All available hunters are on FULL ALERT. Our internal network has been compromised and our teleportation grid has been hijacked. Several Hunters have vanished without a trace from teleportation. We can't get available hunter units were they're needed fast enough, and several known Maverick organizations are taking advantage of the chaos."  
**  
"What! I was teleported here several hours ago! How could this have happened so quickly?"

**"We think this was a calculated move on the part of some far-reaching organization."**

Zero suspected foul play.  
_"This sounds like an inside job. How much do you know about the ones responsible?"  
_X suspected worse.  
"-and has there been any word from **Sigma**?"

**"…"  
**"…"  
_"…"  
_  
The hunters could literally hear a solitary snowflake touch the ground, then the rest followed suit.

Their navigator thoughtfully interjected in the midst of the painful line of silence.**  
"We need you both at the Wallace Dustin Cryogenic Facility. It's the closest area to your position that is in need of assistance. I'll brief you on several working theories on the way. I've just unlocked two ****Ride Chasers**** in the hangar area of the Troia Base. You have a lot of ground to cover. It will take you roughly an hour and a forty five minutes to get there."**

Without further ado, the red and blue hunters made their way to the hangar area facing the setting sun. Ride Chasers were small, compact hover vehicles used in to get to places where teleportation would be impossible, to cover a lot of ground quickly, or to pursue fast moving targets impossible to pursue on foot.

X was given the reigns of his own personally modified "CheXal" Ride Chaser. It was the second ride chaser he's ever ridden. It was commandeered in the middle of a desert mission to prevent a missile launch during the second Maverick uprising. It was a modified version of the standard issue ride chasers of the time, the Cheval Model, but it was regretfully destroyed over the course of the mission. Lifesaver units were on a mission to retrieve and dismantle weapons and other dangerous equipment left over from the war, but they saved the pieces of the chaser as per the senior hunter's request. They were able to piece together a usable model with the help of the now-retired engineer "Douglas." X has been tinkering with it ever since.

Zero was granted access the Adion Ride Chaser it was equipped with forward mounted plasma gun. With this model, Zero was fond of a maneuver were he would "pop a wheelie," so to speak, and activate the thrusters on the underbelly, incinerating enemies with his "scythe." The standard issue worked just fine for the red hunter. As it was, it brought back memories of when he first rode one during the Repliforce War …And of Iris.

Zero, stepped on his "bike" as if did this every day, and challenged his partner.  
_"Hope you haven't gotten rusty."_

X could not tell whether Zero was talking to him, or his bike.  
"I feel like I know this thing by heart, but I haven't ridden it in decades."

The merciless swordsman less patience for sentimentality, and was already warming up the engine.  
_"Enough banter. Let's get out of here!"_ And with that, he zipped away in a silent blur into the sunset, his blonde hair flitting in the wind like a cape. His blue brother in arms followed his example, and zipped away in a noticeably noisier fashion.

Despite the sound of the sound of the wind going past them, their internal headpieces allowed them to communicate with each other, and Alia, perfectly well.  
"This is X.  
What's the situation at the cryogenic facility?"

**"The Wallace Dustin Cryogenic Facility is a veritable time capsule for humans wanting to cryogenically freeze themselves for a set period of time, and then awaken into their future. Some people wanted to be kept for months, others for a century. It was a large booming business. It's the world's largest human temporal storage facility, and now all those helpless humans, security guards, and facility staff are at the mercy of anti-human extremists.**

With the transportation system hijacked, our enemies have the ability to send their members to any unobstructed corner of the globe, but the system always had its limitations. We hope to eventually set up interference that will cripple ability to move their forces. Right now, they've converged on the human storage facility in the world, and are threatening to kill the humans in stasis unless we submit to their demands. Those innocent people will never know what happened."  
  
X knew there would probably be a violent confrontation from this, but for once, he would like to put "successful negotiation" somewhere on his report.  
"What are their demands?"

**"They want us to permanently halt assembly of the Next Generation Reploids."**

_"That's insane!"_

Zero was quick to respond to _that_ demand…

**"Obviously, their demand is not a realistic one. What's worse is that they refused to give an exact time for when they'll begin to kill the hostages. Our ability to scan the area is very limited., but you should use your eyes to scan for heat signatures of a certain temperature, and listen for heartbeats. You and Zero have to be ****extremely**** cautious about harming the humans with stray blasts and the like. This could be extremely bad for the hunters if any humans are killed as a direct result of our actions."**

Riding alongside each other at a tremendous speed, the red and blue hunter's looked at each other, as if the other needed special urging to be careful.

X to Zero, because of his well known zeal for combat itself, that he not get carried away with the battle so much to endanger a human.  
Zero to X, because of his preference not for long-range attacks and tendency to avoid his opponents long enough to analyze the enemy's strategy and style. His lengthy shooting and dodging might became hazardous to the humans inside.  
Zero scoffed at the look X gave him, but the blue hunter was more understanding of his old mentor's doubts. They've consider each other on equal footing now for several years now, but Zero's old habits die hard.  
_"Don't worry about __**me**__. I prefer the deserving party is at the receiving end of sword. I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. "_

There was a face value to Zero's words, but his phrasing suggested a hidden meaning._  
_"What would stop **that **from happening?_"  
_

The two hunters might occasionally glance at each other while on their fast-moving vehicles, but oddly, Zero kept his eyes turned toward the road ahead of him as he said these words:  
_"When the hunter becomes the hunted. When I get branded a Maverick, and I'll have to fight __**you**__ again."_

X and Zero have fought before. Not in a sparring match, not a simulation, but for real. During the Eurasia colony incident, Zero refused to submit to questioning regarding his break from protocol. He went by himself to investigate the "Zero Virus" phenomenon in hopes of discovering the truth of his origin, despite the real threat that he was particularly vulnerable to corruption upon exposure. Corruption combined with increased power levels, that is. We now know that was Sigma's plan all along… and he would've succeeded too if it wasn't for X's intervention.

"I occasionally nightmares about that, but normally have the one where I'm being put on trial for existing. It happened last night too before Axl's ruckus began… Do _you_ ever dream, Zero?"

As long as Zero has been cognizant, he's suffered from nightmares every single night of his life always ending with either X killing him, or blood on his own hands. Sometimes both. He sleeps less often for than other hunters for this reason. Everyone else chalks it up to dedication to the cause. "Mavericks Never Sleep," they say.  
_"No. Nothing but darkness..."_


	6. INTERLUDE: Letters Column

_**Author's Interlude**_

I'd like to thank all of you for your reviews, favor, reads, and subscriptions.  
It means a lot to me that I'm able to interest readers, and keep them at the edge of their seats in ways that I once was back when I just read stories on here. 

_**To make the writing process smoother, ensure improvement and motivation, I strongly urge each and every one of you to leave a review telling me how I'm doing; Let me know what's working, what you're liking about the story, what you don't like, typos, errors, or anything that you think is worth sharing with me.**_

As in added incentive_**,**____**I'll personally respond to each and every one of your reviews**__** in the interlude section **__**after every four**__**.**_

**Writing this story is HUGE step forward for me creatively, and I'd like you to help me in the journey toward better things.**  
_

_**From MungoJerry on Chapter 1: **_  
"mechanloids had taken a bulk of the physical labor required. But as we all know, "a mechanloid can't write a speech, but they're free anyway"..." - Not entirely clear here.. mechaniloids are taking most of the manual labor jobs? And what about that last statement? You'll want to reword some.

And watch your verb tense; you switched around a few times near the end.

Interesting! I'll keep reading. :)

_**From Quint the Historian on Chapter 1:**_  
It's an okay start. You've got a good handle of the language, thought you should work on how you convey information to the reader, because it's a little clunky right now.

Also, try to make the next chapter twice as long. Just a suggestion.

_**Thanks, Mungo! Thanks, Jerry.**_

_**I think I've edited that bit of dialogue since then.  
I wanted to avoid my descriptions of the characters and universe to be too "on the nose."  
Characters like X, Alia, and Signas, for example are very professional in their demeanor and don't lend to the "bada-bing-bada-boom" bouncing off each other cleverness, so I think it's up to the narrator to get across what makes these characters and universe compelling underneath, to new readers, anyway.**_

But in my quest to be clever and unique in my descriptions, it sometimes comes across as a garbled mess. From now on, I'll try to follow my own variant on the KISS acronym: "Keep It Subtle Stupid."

_**On the length of the chapters… I feel as though every chapter has to be about something. When the events of the stories change subjects, I change chapters.  
Also, I have this weird notion that when I get tired of writing, then the audience would likewise be bored if I go on for too much longer. I'll certainly think more on that, though.  
Otherwise, my initial plan was to gradually increase chapter length and complexity as the story went on.**_

_**The length will vary from chapter to chapter. There shouldn't be any pattern. It all depends on how much I want to accomplish in the chapter and how soon I can do it.**_

From Quint the Historian on Chapter 2:  
Over all, it's still good. It would have been better, if Ch1&2 were one chapter, since one directly leads into another, but this is fine. Also, bolding some of the words is a good thing, because it helps keeps the readers eyes moving.

But, if there is one lesson to learn in this chapter is no alternate the names. You don't want to be calling the characters by their names constantly, because it sorta distracts the reader. For example call X, the first reploid, the blue reploid, the famous Maverick Hunter, or the blue bomber. Axl can be, the wannabe Maverick Hunter, the youngest reploid, the reploid with the cross shaped scar. Alia can be the female navigator, the blonde reploid, the female reploid, the reploid at the controls.

Of course, this is for cases when the characters aren't addressing each other.

_**Yeah, I took note of that when you initially told me. It's a tad uncomfortable for me because I usually don't associate the characters with all those other titles. That, and I want the narration to generally be neutral, but I think I'll try to use objective descriptions that coincide with what's been established in the story. Build off reader's knowledge.**_

Also, I want the story to be a visually dynamic experience; I want the text to reflect the events of the story and the speaker's feelings about what they're saying.

From MungoJerry on Chapter 2:  
Mm.. actually, it looks like you overuse the bold function. If you want to give a word or phrase emphasis, use italics instead, and save the bold for special occasions. ;)

You've got a lot of work to do on your grammar and sentence structure. Try reading your work out loud to yourself so you can see how it sounds and catch mistakes. The same goes for dialogue- read it out loud to test how natural it is. Read a LOT to get a feel for how grammar works, or have a friend/family member read through it to gauge how clear your work is.

And finally: if you're not sure how a word is used, be sure to look it up first. You only receiving something "posthumously" if you're dead. :)

Happy writing!

_**Keeping in mind what I said to Quint, I will try to use the **_**bolding**_**, italics, and underlining more sparingly. The dramatic effect is lost if I do it ALL the time.**_

But with chapter's 3 and 4 I've been experimenting with other narrative uses of the bold function. Tell me what you think.

And thank you for pointing out the incorrect word choice. How embarrassing. It **reminded**_** me of the word I was thinking of, but I just made an ass of myself. Ha.  
I hope the correction clears up any confusion…**_

_

Thank you all for your kind words thus far.  
I have BIG plans for next chapter. I'm really excited about the new plot threads and characters I'm going to introduce.

This may prove to be the longest chapter so far.

_**Stay tuned!  
**_

_**-**_ Probatio Pennae


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